Zoe - weight loss? Anyone tried it?

[mrstea301]

Just like the thread title really? I've heard a little bit about this and I've seen that there's a podcast, but was wondering if anyone here had any real life experience of it? You basically sign up and fill in a questionnaire, and if you sign up properly it sounds like they do a bit more testing and then you get a 'tailored' weight loss programme designed specially for your needs. It's a subscription basis, so you can do a four month subscription for around £35 a month. Just wondered if anyone had tired it or had any thoughts about it?

Hi OP, I have just started this programme today. I found your post by searching on MN as I’m very interested in other MN users experiences. Did you sign up? Today I activated the blood glucose monitor which is fascinating in itself. Tomorrow I have to eat 5 muffins, 3 for breakfast, then a 4 hour fast, then 2 for lunch. I don’t usually eat muffins so that’s a challenge in itself! Then you collect a poo sample and a finger prick blood test and send them off for analysis. The packaging and instructions are clear. I’ll update as I go through the process in case anyone else is interested. I’d also be keen to hear from anyone who has completed the tests and the first 4 months.

All tests completed and posted off. You fast for at least 8 hours before although coffee and tea (without milk or sugar) and water are fine to include. The breakfast muffins were very dense and hard to eat. In the end, I could only eat two. You can adjust for quantity but you are warned it may not be as accurate. The lunch muffins are a bit lighter so I managed both of those okay.

Was looking at signing up for this (think next intake is June) so really interested in how you find it @Scottishflower65

@WonderWoop So far so good. It’s been pretty straightforward. Start logging all meals etc from today. One thing I leaned today is that you need to have the app LibreLink that will then automatically send your blood glucose to Zoe. I download the wrong version - Freestyle Libre 3. I can see my own blood glucose on this app but this version doesn’t communicate with Zoe. So I’m just about to sort that now.

Sounds fab
Ive long wanted to understand my spikes and get a monitor so this seems like a managed solution to do so. It’s a shame to have to wait until June though!

how did you find out about that @WonderWoop I downloaded the Libre3 app too - am on day 3. Is that the wrong one?

@pistachioicecream you need @Scottishflower65 😊

I've signed up for June- more out of interest in the monitoring and tests than for weight loss. I'd recommend their podcast too and, I think, they give you a code at the end of the podcast for 10% off the tests.

whoops - thank you! 😊 Got muddled up.

@Scottishflower65 think I might be using the wrong app too!

@Scottishflower65 I just contacted the Zoe team through the chat function in the App and they confirmed the freestyle Libre3 app is the right one and they sent me screen shots of the data they've received from it over the last few days for me. So I think you might be ok with the one you have.

They're really quick at replying to queries in the chat function if you need to double check anything.

@pistachioicecream Puzzled as that’s the app I added and I got a message to say they can’t see my data and I needed to download LibreView (sorry not LibreLink as I said above). I then connected the two apps and connected with Zoe so fingers crossed I’m sorted now. Have asked them to confirm.
Did you manage all the breakfast muffins? I found them very hard going and could only do two.

Following closely if you don't mind.

Lie PPs, I’m more interested in all the tests and improving my gut health than in losing weight. The blood glucose monitor is fascinating. I didn’t know I was regularly dipping too low but I think that’s because I don’t eat from 10pm-1pm so it makes sense.

I also have to say the customer service so far is excellent. They are quick to reply and help you with any problems.

Yes I'm doing it - or rather, I'm about to! My results are due any time now and then I'll be able to get to grips with it all.

I wore the blood sensor for the few weeks and sent off my samples so it's just a waiting game for now

Happy to answer any questions about muffin eating 😀

I’ve never logged meals, snacks etc before so that is making me think more about what I’m eating.

@Scottishflower65 @pistachioicecream @BatFaceOwl (and anyone else), how are you getting on?

@Kitchenette is that 10% off the June package? Thanks for the tip

I’m enjoying it so far. Really interesting to see blood sugar big spikes and dips on eating carbs but steady as she goes on protein and fat meals.

You do various challenges re carbs and sequencing carbs and adding ingredients etc. it’s quite fascinating how an additional ingredient can alter your blood glucose. Also, quite impressive is the impact of exercise within 30 mins of eating a meal - smoothes out blood glucose.

I intend to post my blood sugar and blood fat and gut analysis results. Would be great if anyone else wants to share too.

I'm interested in this too - how much of a faf is it?

@Igglepigglesgrubbyblanket it’s ok, you need to be relatively free on first few days to set up glucose monitors and eat the muffins, do blood test and poo test, but after that you don’t need to do challenges apart from when suits. I work very full time job but managed fine during working day.

Coming to the end of my blood sugar sensor two weeks. So I probably should try and fit in a couple of the challenges over the next couple of days.

I did the first 3 days of the main one but gave up after that. I used a bagel and bizarrely my blood sugar didn't spike that much at all so there wasn't much difference to eating cheese or the bagel and cheese together. I found having to fast for 3 hours after a bit of a pain to be honest. Meant I couldn't have coffee first thing (as I have milk) or walk the dog (as not meant to exercise). It just didn't really fit in with life so I didn't do the last 2 days of tests for that one. 😬

But I would be interested to know what things like oats or other types of bread do to me. So might do my own testing of that before it ends.

The worst spike I've had so far was after eating a work lunch we were given at an event which was sandwiches and crisps - so not surprising. But interesting to see the high spike and then big dip actually happen on the sensor. Hard to avoid those things sometimes though.

how are you getting on?

@pistachioicecream
I think it would be helpful if the challenges for the first few days were listed in full beforehand so you could plan ahead with regards to exercise etc. I’m like you and just experimenting with foods and combinations to see what happens as also in my last few days of sensor. I have started to do 20-30 mins of cardio after my evening meal as I can see that definitely works in smoothing out blood glucose.
I’d be really interested to hear about responses to different types of alcohol? Gin and green (no carb) tonic doesn’t cause any changes to glucose levels for me.